Quilt Block Contest

Tomorrow I am going to drop entries off at the State Fair Grounds.  As always, I entered the quilt block competition.  They send each entrant four fabrics about 10" square and we make a 9 1/2" unfinished block that uses all of the fabrics.  This year's (and last year's) fabrics were challenging because there wasn't a big difference in color and value between the fabrics.  Quilts with minimal contrast can be beautiful (note the low-volume quilts and this higher-volume quilt) but I think that a quilt made with only two bright colors and fairly small piecing is going to be too busy and the blocks will all mush together.

Given the fabric restrictions, I am really proud of my block.  The piecing is good, the fussy cutting adds extra detail and the block pattern is clear - no small feat.

I am also thinking of bringing some of the quilts or pillows from You Can Quilt!  Building Skills for Beginners - but it makes me really nervous, I'm not sure why.  Maybe because I feel like the book is being judged via the quilts?  ....  I'll let you know what I do and how it all ends up.

Next Friday I will host a link-up for anyone that has finished That Quirky Scrap Quilt.  I've got to get quilting!  :)

California Wedding Quilt

Talking before the ceremony.

Well, we are back from California - at last!  We drove there for my brother's wedding, stopping to see friends and family along the way.  It was...not as bad as I thought it would be - the driving that is.  Seeing everyone was Great!  The wedding was beautiful and so much fun.  Two of our girls were flower girls (I made the sashes and bows) and we had a wonderful time meeting all of the bride's friends and family.

For a wedding present my mom made them this quilt.  Simple, calm and reminiscent of the quilt her mother made for her when she got married.

She also pieced the back.  The bright crazy back is suppose to represent how crazy and unplanned life can become, but how there is a beauty in that too.  (I hope I got all that right.)  My mom is an amazing seamstress, but doesn't often venture into quilt making.  It was fun to help pick fabrics and get the step by step updates during the making of the quilt. 

Now that we are back home I have been catching up on laundry, the garden (the weeds are waist high!) and everything else I didn't do for the three weeks we were away.  I have been taking some time out for quilting though and finally figured out what I am going to do for my quilt block entry at the State Fair.  I have some issues with their fabric choices (again) and will fill you all in next week.  :)

Have a great weekend!